Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

I usually make PCBs with Riston dry film and artwork from an Epson D92 inkjet.

Unfortunately, the inkjet can't cope with 0.5mm LQFP (edges are too ragged especially on diagonals + there's too much sputtering at high resolution 2400dpi or more and it won't print with black ink only at high resolution so opacity is not satisfactory).

So I bought a Samsung Monochrome Laser ML-1860. (£40 from Dixons UK) It puts the inkjet in the shade - its 1200x1200dpi resolution easily produces the artwork I need; on transparency OHP film LQFP pads match up perfectly, large areas are opaque and 10mil track is unbroken. (For toner transfer people, a quick test with magazine paper came out very well - err.. make that jaw-droppingly well!)

The only downside is the transparency film; both types of laser OHP film I've tried (Clarkes Stationers "el cheapo own brand" and Black Diamond 100micron Laser/Copier OHP Film) both buckle more than I would have expected making contact exposure unhappy.

I did try printing on paper and using oil to make it translucent but the exposure times are too long compared with film + it buckles slightly also.

Anyone in the UK got a suggestion for a really stable Laser OHP film please?